As I’ve gotten older, I find that fewer horror movies scare me. Sure, I check the backseat before getting into my car (thanks to Urban Legend), and I sometimes look under my bed just to be safe, but I don’t get spooked like I used to. Don’t let me fool you — my imagination can run wild, conjuring up every possible horror scenario. But it’s infrequent now, since I’ve seen a lot of horror content.
My husband goes out once a week to jam with his friends, which gives me a chance to catch up on my horror watchlist: an eclectic mix of old favorites and new discoveries. He enjoys scary movies, but they aren’t his first choice. He prefers science fiction or action films. Most of the films I select, I feel confident watching alone.
But sometimes I choose to watch something that feels very real and could actually happen. It makes my heart race and my mind spiral into what-ifs… While I check that every door is locked in the house.
Strange Harvest is a mockumentary-style film written and directed by Stuart Ortiz. I knew I had to see it because Ortiz was responsible for a favorite found-footage and mockumentary-style horror movie of mine, Grave Encounters (2011). If you’re a fan of found footage (and ghost-hunting shows like Ghost Adventures), you should watch Grave Encounters right away.
While Grave Encounters explores supernatural themes, Strange Harvest is rooted in reality, focusing on a serial killer and his crimes. Like most of the world, I really enjoy true crime, so I understand this kind of madness happens every day.
But I was completely unaware of the mockumentary style of this film, which made me wonder: Is this a true story? The merging of documentary and fictional elements created a sense of realism that made me question the truthfulness of what I was watching.
The performances are so convincing, especially the actors portraying the investigators and the killer, that I honestly thought for the first half it was a real documentary. Luckily, it’s not, but it had my mind racing with possibilities.
It reminds me of horror movies like Scream with Ghostface: they aren’t supernatural beings but cold-blooded killers hiding behind masks. What’s to stop a disturbed person from committing murders while wearing a scary mask like those?
Strange Harvest opens in 2010 with a wellness check on a family that hasn’t responded to any friends in a few days. The cops and investigators go in to find a family deceased, zip tied and bleeding out into buckets that are written, “Going, going, gone.” A killer named Mr. Shiny painted a symbol in blood on the ceiling in 1993.
The movie switches between talking heads discussing the killer’s disturbing history, strange and cryptic letters sent by the perpetrator and found footage that shows the haunting details of the crimes. Is this a deranged killer or something related to the occult?
The performances of Peter Zizzo and Terri Apple as detectives convinced me that this was real. They perform their roles so smoothly and convincingly, I would’ve bet it was authentic.
The movie isn’t shy about depicting ritualistic, gruesome crime scenes, with deaths that remind me of the show Hannibal (2013). It is gory and disturbing, with bodies either bleeding out or arranged in strange formations. For example, he places a body in the “blood eagle,” where someone performs a ritual murder. As far as I can tell, most, if not all, of the gore is practical effects, which I always appreciate. However, the sense of realism makes everything feel even more intense. It definitely leaves me more fearful and anxious about what might be outside my door.
There’s another scene that’s impressive and stuck in my mind… and it involves a giant pool and leeches! Name a worse way to die than being drained by leeches. I’ll wait. (While taking a break from writing this, my toddler stabbed me in the eye with my sunglasses. So, I’ll say that’s a close second to death by leeches.)
This movie is not for the faint of heart. I’ve seen a lot of gore in my life, and the images in this film really stuck with me. After I finished watching it, I was sneaking around my house, afraid of what might be around the corner. I took a quick shower before bed, and my dog scared me so badly just by walking into the bathroom. My soul left my body, thinking it was Mr. Shiny!
Have I become a chicken in my middle ages? Possibly. But I’m also a seasoned veteran of horror films. I have watched countless movies that have both terrified and intrigued me over the years. Despite my age, I still find myself genuinely shaken by certain movies, and this one was no exception. It’s not even overly action-driven, but thanks to the numerous grim crime scenes, unsettling cryptic images and eerie sound design, the movie maintains a steady, immersive pace. My mind did wander at times due to some parts of too much dialogue.
Mr. Shiny always drew it back in with that creepy mask, adding an extra layer of charm and mystery to the story that made it hard to look away.
I give Strange Harvest three and a half out of five stars. Ortiz once again surprises and unsettles us with a cleverly made mockumentary that blurs the line between reality and fiction. It employs a documentary style that enhances its eerie and suspenseful atmosphere. The performances are compelling, and the practical effects are gnarly. Viewers interested in psychological thrillers and horror will have a wild experience.
So, now when I check my backseat or under my bed, I’ll make sure that Mr. Shiny isn’t lurking there… watching and waiting for me in the shadows, his tiny eyes glittering in the dark, ready to pounce the moment I turn my back. And you sure as hell better believe I’ll run away fast if I see that symbol anywhere near my house!
You can now watch Strange Harvest on Video on Demand.